1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for analyzing network trace at apparatuses mutually connected on a network, and in particular to a method for analyzing network trace, a method for judging an order among multiple apparatuses connected to multiple networks (hereinafter referred to as nodes), a processor for analyzing network trace, a computer-executable program for controlling a computer as a processor, and a method for correcting time difference among nodes in a network, for correcting time difference among built-in clocks in nodes connected to a network with the use of network trace acquired at multiple nodes.
2. Background Art
Modern network systems, to which various equipment is connected, have a physically and logically complicated structure. In order to solve a trouble caused in such a system, it is necessary to acquire data packets at multiple locations on the network, store them after adding time stamps thereto, and then analyze them. However, clocks built in equipment for acquiring network trace are usually not synchronized, and therefore it is necessary to correct time stamps added to data packets when comparing and analyzing data acquired at multiple locations.
Traditionally, the above-mentioned correction has been performed by determining the quantity of time correction estimated based on the experience of a service engineer and by inputting the corrected time quantity for each node. Therefore, there have been caused inconveniences that the time correction work for a network, significantly depending on the workmanship of a service engineer and giving much burden on the service engineer, is not efficient, that there may be a case where an effect of correction cannot be sufficiently assured, that burden on a user or a service engineer in his work is also increased, and the like.